Food suggestions for birth partner

[pinkflamingosinthepool]

Having done plentiful research into what to pack in my hospital bag I feel I have everything I need and more except one thing - everyone just says "food" or "snacks" for birth partner. But that just seems so vague and we have run out of energy to think about this!

If everything goes relatively smoothly with the early labour stage he can make/nip out and buy sandwiches to bring with us, but who knows in what circumstances we might be rushing off to the hospital! Does anyone have ideas of non-perishables that we could have in the bag that won't go off between now and whenever it might be that I pop?

My MW has actually recommended sweets like Jelly babies (quick sugar) – so I don’t think it’s such a bad idea
Not sure why OP has been getting the odd harsh comment.
When I pack my bag - I plan on packing a few things for my partner, not because he is lazy or not supportive but because I happen to be the one packing the thing. If anything he is a bit over excited and we would end up with a suitcase!
I agree with suggestions like cereal bars, plain crisps, malt loaf and either straws or drinks that are easy to drink from - just a few of each then your partner has something to snack on as well (again, another thing my MW suggested)

Indeed, as other posters have said, jelly babies are a really good way of keeping your energy levels up during prolonged physical efforts. I take them on long-distance bike rides too.

I am not twelve

Flapjacks, chocolate bars, nuts, raisins, bottles of water.

Filling stuff, you will be starving let me tell you!

I packed kendel mint cake in my hospital bag - worked a treat as I had a long labour (13 hours in the hospital after 48 hours latent labour at home!) but couldn't face eating anything at all (they made me toast and I gave it to DP after two bites!) but mint cake is very dense and sugary but not too overwhelming. I know some people really don't like it though so ymmv. DP ate some of that, and also some cereal bars and lucozade that we packed.

I don't know why people are getting snarky about the OPs question, seems legitimate to me. I'm not sure why her DH is expected to know what would be a practical food to pack in the hospital bag? Because it seems to me that's what her question is. I certainly didn't know, nor did my DP, when I had DD, and I thought one of the points of this forum is to ask for advice on things

Dear lord... Really? People are getting snarky because this is a total non issue, when in labour the grownup not bent double in agony every two minutes for 12-20 hours can generally sort themselves out. And if they can't parenthood is going to be one hell of a shock... Seriously canteens, vending machines, dial a flipping takeaway. Just don't let him pick anything smelly unless he wants an Exorcist impression. You need to pick YOUR snacks carefully because it's difficult to chew while shrieking or mooing and because it's hard work.. Lucozade pastilles are good. But him, meh he could totally watch childbirth on an empty stomach.

It's very American but British DP packed peanut butter and jam sandwiches. They last ages, high in protein and don't smell. I had a few bites as well in labour if I recall correctly.

I don't think it's a non issue. And I think it's actually really petty to get snarky and aggressive about the fact the OP is considering the fact her DH is going to be her birthing partner and therefore, you know, part of the process, and she wants to plan ahead.

Speaking as someone who had a very long labour, I didn't let my DP leave my sight, so there's no way he could have popped to the vending machine to get some food. At one point he desperately needed the loo and I spent the whole two minutes screaming at him to come back even though he was in the loo in my birthing room, so literally behind a door. We didn't think about packing snacks for him, and he stayed up all night with me and then all day until I gave birth in the evening. If I could go back I'd bloody pack some more food for him! I just think the whole 'he's not going to go through pain so can sort himself out' is a really weird argument to make. OP didn't say she would be worrying about his eating habits during labour, but that she'd like to plan ahead so that food is on hand.

So my original comment stands - OPs question is legitimate, and if you don't think it is, no need to comment on the post to be all snarky.

We had cake in the hospital canteen waiting to be induced. Was brought lunch and dinner on the labour ward which I had no desire to eat given the state I was in (fish and chips while 8cm dilated - no thanks) so he had those too. He got a snickers from the vending machine not long after I gave birth (and malteasers for me after I complained about getting nothing). He then ate my tea and toast as the drugs given to deliver my placenta made me throw up and I didn't want it. So there really was no need for any snacks!

He also did well on the post natal ward - I don't drink hot drinks so he had my coffee every time the tea trolley went round (for patients only - partners weren't given drinks).

We took sweet things, 30 hour labour and I needed the fuel. I had the mini Percy pig sweets, lucozade sport, weetabix breakfast milkshakes (long life) and a tub of Marks and Sparks extremely chocolatey minibites. I was scoffing Percy pigs throughout. I also had some giant bakery cookies for postnatal, and I'm glad I took them as I didn't get there till the middle of the night and was in no fit state to skip to a vending machine.

If you want a nice, reasssuring stream of midwives pack lots of chocolates and tubes of pringles a-plenty

Flapjacks, snacky stuff etc for the birthing partner and maybe you later on. Personally (and we're all different) I wouldn't have thanked you for anything to eat during labour with the exception of a solero whilst doing laps of the hospital with number 4

Frankly, tea and toast never tastes as good as when you've just given birth

Three day labour here and dp really bloody needed the flapjacks I shoved in my hospital bag as an afterthought. He didn't leave my side the entire 40 hours we were at the hospital, because I was having a hell of a time.

He gave my bag of toffees away to the midwife though and i was gutted.

The birth was so long and exhausting and with complications (theatre, spinal block, pph) that when I was in post natal I hadn't even the energy to get toast. I really bloody needed those toffees (three years on and I'm still not over it).

The hospital is located quite far out of town so no takeaways or mcd's nearby, even. And no vending machine except 7 floors away in a and e

I think packing food for your birth partner is essential, as you really don't know how long that labour will go on for (mine was 70 hours, 40 of those in the hospital. I had one muller light yoghurt in that time. Dp only the snacks I packed).

If your labour is quick and hassle free, great. You can snack on them while breastfeeding.

Flapjacks, cereal bars, nuts and dried fruit, drinks in a sports bottle (I had powerade which I don't normally drink. Omg bloody fantastic pick me up, restorative in post natal after that long labour).

I went in to labour doing the dishes after dinner and gave birth at lunchtime the next day. So DH missed a few meals, he had one banana in that time. I was sick the whole the way through labour and wanted him there constantly. He barely got to the loo. He did get my toast afterwards though as I was in shock and really struggling to eat and it was just going cold. He then lived on tesco meal deals as we were on for a whole. I would say pack your BP a small bag - clean undies, toothbrush, basic change of clothes.

RolyPolierThanThou Didn't the midwives get you some tea & toast?

Hear hear marmitemofo

Can't understand why people would take the trouble to post such unkind responses to a simple and reasonable question on a childbirth forum. This isn't AIBU.

Because we worry that micromanaging the catering for another grownup totally capable of feeding themselves might give the OP the illusion of a far greater degree of control during the birth process than in reality. If you find that the only way you can labour is by tantrically staring into your partners eyes for 12-20 hours, that's not helpful, or realistic, particularly if things go awry. When dd turned up, she did so three months early, and dh ended up amusing ds in the car park while I laboured alone after going in for a random triage check, something I would choose to do now for any future baby - although after watching dd fight for life on a vent and struggle for 81 days to get home I'm not brave enough for another child. But if I were I would be buggered if I'd waste a single thought about dh's menu options, there are far more important things to worry about.

it was a pretty light-hearted question...

Not exactly the same thing but I work as a nurse and we have a lot of family members / carers who come in to the hospital to see / look after their loved ones, who seem to think they need to sacrifice eating properly and sleeping etc in order to be there for their loved ones. The thing is they burn out very quickly and we have to remind them sometimes that to be of any use to their loved one they need to look after themselves too. I think a similar thing applies to birth partners. It's not realistic or helpful to think DH/P's can go indefinitely without food or drink, especially if it's a long labour. My SIL had a 36 hour labour with complications (both for her and DNephew) and BIL didn't want to leave her as she was very distressed the whole time (so no jaunts off to a vending machine). But invariably yes he did need some drinks and snacks in that time. I'm pretty sure he would have struggled to keep going for 36 hours without them. Obviously SIL was having a much worse time of it, but I don't see how him being dehydrated and hungry would have helped anything. I don't think there's anything wrong in packing some snacks for the birth partner.

This thread seems to have one a bit weird! I just picked what I wanted to eat and we packed a bit extra.

For DC1 we packed a shit load of dried fruit and a few packs of sweets a couple of bottles of water and I think, OH grabbed some cakes from the fridge when he grabbed the bags as I was heading to the car - my waters had gone hrs before but I wasn't having contractions so all very calm.

DC2 shit loads of sweets, no extra food was grabbed as labour was happening fast, the car was snowed in and the rd wasn't clear, he did take a shovel just in case though.

Hope it goes well for you.

My partner took a backpack with a fresh t-shirt, deodorant and toothbrush in, and included snacks for us both. Given his time again he says he'd not have taken nearly so much! I vomited so didn't eat anything until after I gave birth, and I think he scoffed a bit of chocolate more out of boredom than anything, because I wouldn't talk to anyone and wouldn't be touched for quite a long time! That said, I did have to fight him for my toast after our son was born. We took some fruit bars from Aldi which came in useful while I was hungry on the ward.

I don't think partners should be nil by mouth, just jeezo, you're the one who's puked, wept and ached through nine months of pregnancy, you're the one set to have a very 'trying' day or two, is it too much to ask that the other parent manage to pack themselves some biscuits... you'll have a real life child to mother soon enough so no need to practise on the husband just remind them to pack whatever they fancy.

Fruit cake? Jamaican Ginger Cake lasts for ever though it might get a bit squashed in your bag. Have such a craving for the stuff now.

Pot noodle ? He'd have to eat it somewhere else though - they smell vile!

Sports cap bottles of water are great for both people when you are in labour. There's always only those tiny plastic cups at the water machines. We stuck a six pack in the fridge for DC2 and a 2 litre bottle in the freezer (to defrost slowly) to grab on the way out the door. Of course, I was home in no time with DC2 having spent 2 days in labour and 4 days on the boiling hot ward with DC1... them's the breaks.

Given my worst case scenario was to phone OH to extract himself from halfway inside an animal and probably needing to get through the rush hour I wanted his priority to be me and possibly a shower if time, not food... he was great even if he lied almost as much as he does when hillwalking - you're nearly there!

I have always just taken snacks stuff, jaffa cakes, flapjack, pretzels whatever I fancied.

Dh bought himself some snacks each rime I think, he likes malt loaf... I don't.

But I remember him buying some sandwiches?

Btw to the poster who said no eating in labour incase you need surgery, that's not recommended in the UK anymore. Infact the risk of you having complications in surgery due to having eaten something is less than the chance of you being struck by lightening... The advice now is to eat if you can/feel like it to keep energy levels up as you need energy esp if you have long labour's.

Ds1 was a three day labour if I hadn't of water I would have passed out.

My others were 7hrs, 3hrs and 1 hr. In the one hour labour there was no time to eat. In the three hour labour and the Seven hour one I did have a snack in the early stages and yes the snacks are good for after if you are kept in.

There is nothing better than that first cup of tea and slice of toast they give you after birth.

5mad - really? My nephew was born 3 weeks ago and the advice to sil then was still no food during labour. They also gave recommendations of easily digestible foods they said she should try and eat in few days before incase baby was born few days early or fast labour. Only think she was allowed was things mentioned above like lucozade dextrose sweets etc to maintain sugar levels if needed.

Yep where did your sil give birth? That's crazy and they have never said what to eat in days leading up to labour I mean you could give birth from 37-42wks, that's a long time to only eat certain easily digestible foods. I am preg with number six and policy is eat what you feel like eating, listen to your body.

In one of my labour's they positively encouraged me to eat as my urine sample showed something up that highlighted I need to eat, can't remember what is was now.

The advice about eating in labour was updated ages ago in UK, I know in America some places still try to enforce it.

I have midwife friends and they all say policy not to restrict what would women eat.